I ask Allaah for this e-mail to reach you while you and your family are in the highest level of Eemaan and in the best of health and circumstance.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islaam! In less than 2 weeks, and if Allaah Wills, He, Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa, will bless us, once again, with the visit of our beloved Noble Shaykh Abu Sa‘d Saalim bin Sa‘d at-Taweel – may Allaah preserve him – from Kuwait.

Indeed, it is out of the Mercy of Allaah, ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem, upon this Ummah that He, Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa, has facilitated the coming of one of the Shaykhs of People of Sunnahand Jamaa‘ah.

Thus, we would like to invite each and every one of you to attend these programs, events and educational seminars, which will take place in various States.

Please note that the Shaykh will be giving lectures and conducting ‘Intensive Classes’ throughout the whole week, but the main events will take place over the weekends.

Respected Brothers and Sisters! As you all know, one of the largest reasons for the ignorance and misguidance of most of the Muslims, in general, and us living here – USA, in specific, is staying away from our Mashaayikh of Ahlas-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah, and their advice. Therefore, we have a golden opportunity, in our hands, to heal some of these scars left from such acts. Seize it and capitalize on it. Especially, since it has gotten so difficult to bring a Shaykh over here after the vile attacks of 9/11.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Faith! You owe it to yourself to attend these events, programs and educational seminars.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Allaah, ‘Azza wa Jal, for facilitating such events, first and foremost. Then, I would like to thank our brothers who are working extremely hard to convey the message of the Prophet of Allaah, may the Salaah and Salaam of Allaah be upon him, the message of Tawheed (Monotheism) and the message of as-Salaf as-Saalih (the righteous Predecessors) in this land.

I ask Allaah to guide us and steadfast us on the straight path and utilize us for His Da‘wah. He is indeed capable of all things. Also, the last of our supplications is, indeed, all praise is to Allaah Alone; and may the Salaah and Salaam be upon His last Messenger.

The Questioner asked: I talk to myself a lot, it is like this for me, and I cannot leave it off. Would it be Gheebah (backbiting) if I mentioned someone with what he dislikes and I am by myself. I do not mention it to anyone, rather it is to myself.

Shaikh Ibn Baaz: The Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi wa sallam) said: “Backbiting is saying about your brother that which he dislikes.” Therefore what is apparant from the speech of the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi wa sallam) is what is general and that whenever you mention about your brother that which he dislikes whether you are alone or with the people then this is all backbiting. Therefore the advice is to beware of this, and to get accustomed to silence when you are alone except when remembering Allah- azza wa jall- don’t mention the people. Remember your Lord, keep busy with something from the rememberence of Allah. Subhan Allah, Alhmadu Lillah, La Ilaha Ill Allah, Wallahu Akbar. May Allah forgive me. Leave the people alone, you have enough to do (for yourself) from remembering Allah- Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala-, asking his forgiveness and making suplications.

This is why whenever someone went to Shaikh Ibn Baaz and told him: He said so and so of you and so and so of you. He simply used to say: “May Allah excuse everyone.”

And as a poet said:

Do not concentrate on the faults of others Over your faults and these are two faults.

Meaning: That if you concentrate on the faults of others and you do not look at yourself and your faults this would be double the sins. Because you would be heedless of yourself and your heart yet attentive to others and what they do in secret and open.

A man said to al-Hasan al-Basri (rahimahullah): ‘The people sit around you so that they may find fault with you!’ So he said, ‘Indeed, I encouraged my soul to aspire for Paradise so it aspired for it. Then I encouraged it to aspire for salvation from Hellfire and so it aspired for it. Then I encouraged it to aspire for salvation from the people, but I didn’t find a way to that. Indeed the people were not pleased with their Creator although He provides for them, so how can they be pleased with another creation like themselves?’ [1]

Prophet Musa (’alayhisalam) said: ‘O my Lord, the people say things about me which are not (i.e. not true)! So Allah revealed to him: ‘O Musa, I did not makethat (privilege) forMyself, so how can I make it the case for you?’ [2]

Malik ibn Dinar: ‘Since I have known (the reality of) people, I have not taken delight in their praise nor have I hated their criticism.’ It was said to him, ‘Why is that?’ He said, ‘The one who praises from amongst them is excessive and the critic from amongst them exaggerates!’

[3]‘Aisha (radhiallahu `anha) wrote to Mu’awiya (radhiallahu `anhu): ‘Salamun ‘alayk. Amma ba’d, I have heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) say, ‘Whoever gains the Pleasure of Allah by the anger of the people (i.e. thereby gains their anger), Allah suffices him of the people’s troubles. And whoever gains the pleasure of the people by the Anger of Allah (i.e. in the process he gains His Anger), then Allah leaves him to the people.’ Wa-Salaamu ‘alayk.’ [4]

Imam al-Shafi’i: ‘There is nobody except that he has someone who loves him and someone who hates him. So if that’s the case, let a person be with the people who are obedient to Allah `azza wa jall!’ ( – as they love and hate for the Sake of Allah and they are not unjust) [5]

1. Al-Annaanah:
The woman who whines, moans and complains and ‘ties a band around her head’ all the time (i.e. complains of a headache or some illness but in reality she is not sick, rather she is faking).

2. Al-Mannaanah:
The woman who bestows favours, gifts, etc. upon her husband then (at that time or the future) says; “I did such and such for you or on your behalf or because of you.

3. Al-Hannaanah:
The women who yearns or craves for her former husband or children of the former husband.

4. Kay’atul-Qafaa:
The women who has a brand mark on the nape of her neck (i.e. has a bad reputation or doubts about her).

5. Al-Haddaaqah:
The women who cast her eyes at things (i.e. always looking at something to purchase, then desires it and requires her husband to buy it (No Matter What).

6. Al-Barraaqah:
The women who spends much of her day enhancing her face and beautifying it to such an extent that it will seem like it was manufactured.

7. Al-Shaddaaqah:
The woman who talks excessively..

Taken from the Book: ‘A Concise Manual of Marriage’ by Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen

With regard to sitting after Fajr prayer until the sun rises then praying two rak’ahs, it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation then sits remembering Allaah until the sun rises, then prays two rak’ahs, will have a reward like that of Hajj and ‘Umrah, complete, complete, complete.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (586).

Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) :classed it as hasan in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about it and he said:

This hadeeth has some isnaads with which there is nothing wrong, thus it is regarded as hasan li ghayrihi (hasan because of corroborating evidence), and it is mustahabb to offer this prayer after the sun has risen to the height of a spear, i.e., approximately fifteen or twenty minutes after sunrise. End quote from Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (25/171).

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: It says in the hadeeth, “The one who sits in the place where he prayed after Fajr prayer until the sun rises, it will be like a complete, complete Hajj and ‘umrah,” or words to that effect. Does this mean that the one who does that will have the reward like that of Hajj and ‘umrah, or what does it mean?

He replied:

Firstly: this hadeeth is subject to further discussion. Many scholars classed it as daeef (weak).

Secondly: if we assume that it is saheeh, the reward of Allaah is not subject to analogy. A person may be rewarded greatly for a small deed, because the reward is a bounty from Allaah that He gives to whomsoever He will. End quote from al-Liqa’ al-Shahri (74/22).